Merry Christmas, Nataku!
by funky-squirrel
Summary: It's Nataku's first Christmas and "he's" having a little trouble trying to figure out its meaning...however, he receives some unexpected help from one fiery Seal.


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Just a little Christmas fic that focuses on Nataku and a little on   
Karen. BTW, to reduce any confusion I'm referring to Nataku as a "he"   
because 1) I don't like using "it" and 2) it's far too confusing to   
write if I say he or she all the time...well, for me that is. ^^   
Comments are welcomed, flames are not but constructive criticism is   
good...for something that will completely break my heart. ^^ *lol*   
j/k. NEwayz, the characters don't belong to me but the story does...I   
think...or at least I _think_ that's how it works... *falls over* oh   
well... forget it, go read. Oh yeah, BTW, I _did_ use parts of X as   
flashbacks...those parts aren't owned by me. ^^  
  
Oh yeah and really sorry but there's some OOCness on Fuuma's part...I   
just don't know how to write him.   
  
Also, just wanted to note that this fic was meant for the Christmas of   
2000...that *cough* didn't work. la di da...  
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Merry Christmas, Nataku  
by: Ali (minakoali@yahoo.com)  
  
"We're not breaking any seals today, Nataku..."   
  
Nataku looked at his "father" with confusion. Not break any seals?  
What was so special about today that prevented them to do what they   
were destined to do... Nataku stopped himself... this was his   
"father's" wish, he would not disobey it...  
  
Fuuma smiled softly and rustled Nataku's hair affectionately. "Don't   
you know, Nataku? Today's Christmas."   
  
Nataku looked back at Fuuma with his large, innocent, crystalline eyes.  
Christmas...was today Christmas? He knew of it but he never saw the  
significance of it. He just didn't understand how this Christmas was   
so special. Of course, out of curiosity, he did look the term up on  
one of Satsuki's computers. What was the birth of one man who   
was believed to have existed only by those of certain religious  
faith so important? Then the computer referred him to a large,   
bearded man and this did nothing in his search to comprehend such a   
day. So...  
  
"Why?" Nataku murmured.  
  
Fuuma walked over to where his black, cotton coat was lying and put it  
on.   
  
"Because...on Christmas, nobody wishes to die..."   
  
Fuuma paused as he saw the confusion grow on Nataku's face.   
  
"Nataku....Kazuki...it's hard to explain. Christmas is Christmas.   
And it is a day that destruction should not occur. Just take my word  
on it."   
  
Fuuma opened the door and began to walk through. He stopped just   
below the door frame and turned around.   
  
"Maybe it would be better for you to understand if you looked around.   
Everybody has the day off today so you should use your free time to  
observe the reasons to why this day is so significant. I don't think  
you've experienced a Christmas before....it may be a good time to   
experience your first Christmas..."   
  
A more mischevious and sadistic gleam came to his eyes. "It may be the  
last Christmas on this Earth..."   
  
With that, Fuuma left and the confused clone just stared at the door  
where his 'father' had went through. Experience Christmas... Nataku  
looked out the window. It was snowing outside and it was out there in  
the real world that Nataku would most likely find his answers.  
  
...maybe, he thought, this is not a ... bad idea.   
  
***  
  
"Cood shoe getsch shum shtape peez?"  
  
"Huh?"   
  
Karen moved her feet so she could get better support on the ladder.   
She took the Christmas decorations out of her mouth and gave her   
co-worker one of her patented, and brilliant smiles.   
  
"What I said was 'Could you get some tape please?'"   
  
Her fellow soaplady laughed and ran into the next room to retrieve the  
adhesive materials. Karen sat down on the ladder and began to hum  
'Jingle Bells' as she waited. It was such a beautiful Christmas day  
and as usual the Soapland had closed early. Of course, this was not  
because it was Christmas itself but because it was suspected that there  
wouldn't be too many "gentlemen" coming to their fine business. Karen  
almost laughed at herself, as a Christian, she could never have chosen  
a more un-Christian place to work at. But deep down inside, this never  
really bothered her. The people here were some of the most interesting  
and charming people she ever had the pleasure of meeting. They   
all had their little stories to tell, tragic...funny but mostly funny.  
At times, she sort of wished that she could share some of her own. Of  
course, that would be a little absurd, she didn't think any of the   
girls would believe her. How does, 'Hi, I'm one of the chosen few  
that will decide whether or not all of humanity will live, please to  
meet you' sound? Yeah, she wouldn't believe it if she had heard it.   
  
Since the soapland closed, a small Christmas party held in the lobby  
had become a tradition. Some decorations here, a few "hors d'oeurves",  
as her friends liked to put it and the girls and her could spend all  
night long just talking and sharing the latest, juicy gossip. It was  
great. Unfortunately, this year she had to leave a little early.   
  
"Karen, where are you going?"  
  
"I've got to go home a little early." Karen replied as she put her   
coat and hat. " And I have to finish up on some shopping done before   
I..."   
  
"Oooooh..." One of the girls laughed and patted Karen on the back.   
"Looks like Karen's got a date tonight."   
  
The whole room was then filled with whistles and cheers, and Karen   
couldn't help but laugh. Right...a date, she thought, A date with  
several other people who will decide whether or not humanity will live.  
  
"So, Karen," the same girl said, "Who are you shopping for? Someone   
special?"   
  
Karen laughed. Special...something like that.  
  
***  
  
Nataku shifted uncomfortably on the top of a building. He was no   
longer in his normal purple outfit but in normal clothes:  
a smooth, brown, leather jacket, a white sweater turtleneck and some   
grey trousers. He was, for sure, not used to the new clothes and most   
importantly, he was not used to the overly-excited, curiously odoured,  
old man that Kanoe had introduced to him. She seemed a little _too_  
ecstatic at the new opportunity given to her. The man seemed...rather  
feminine...and became ecstatic when he laid eyes on him. The man had  
actually proceeded to place cover-up on his forehead and forced him  
to try on several outfits until he was left with the clothes that he  
was wearing right now... Nataku had, for the first time in his life  
...experienced sheer annoyance. He just wanted to use his   
"unfashionable scarf" as the man had referred it as, to toss the man  
out of a preferably high situated window.   
  
However, despite all the trouble Nataku had gone through to walk  
amongst the regular humans, Nataku was having difficulty "observing"   
Christmas. He didn't know where to start and nothing seemed to   
interest him or arouse his curiosity. There were just a lot of people   
merrily shopping who had no idea what kind of future they had or the   
major events that were taking place all around them. Nataku sighed and  
began to redouble his efforts. His 'father' had wished him to   
understand this Christmas and he would not fail him. He commenced to   
area for anything interesting and then his gaze stopped on a certain  
red-head's face.   
  
"That's..."   
  
//flashback.//  
  
Karen walked towards Nataku and looked at him compassionately.   
"Amazing...when I look at you, I see a child..."   
  
As she approached him, she knelt down beside him, who had barely enough  
strength to look back at her. "You're alive, are you not? All living  
things have emotions..."  
  
She softly touches his face and gazes into his eyes.   
"You just believe you don't have any..."  
  
Nataku felt something inside him snap but had little time to understand  
it. All he could hear was the sound of rushing water coming towards   
him...  
  
//end flashback.//  
  
"...it's her..."   
  
Without another thought, Nataku lept off the building, landed in a   
remote alley and rushed into the crowd in search for his destined  
enemy. When he had turned around the corner where the woman had   
been last seen, there was no one to be found; save the movement of a   
small tabby cat, there was nothing alive in sight.   
  
"I was hoping I'd see you..."   
  
Nataku spun around. How did she get behind him?...but she was there,  
nonetheless. He had thought that he was being stealthy but he was  
obviously wrong.   
  
"I almost didn't recognize you..."   
  
Nataku looked down and blushed a little. He had forgotten that he  
wasn't in his regular clothes. He looked up again and saw that the  
lady was smiling at him. She took a step towards him and   
instinctively, Nataku took three steps back. The woman frowned   
slightly and Nataku felt a slight pang of guilt...however, the woman  
had taken a step back to where she was originally standing. She was   
giving him some space since she obviously sensed his lack of   
comfort. So there she was, standing right in front of him. She was  
basically his sworn enemy, the person he was destined to defeat and  
there she was...smiling again and nobody moved except for the rustle  
of her hair in the chilly winter breeze.  
  
"Gomen...I didn't mean to disturb you. Actually, to tell you the   
truth, I thought you were following me..."   
  
Nataku spoke up. "I was..."   
  
The woman looked surprise, not by what he had said but probably more on  
the fact that he had spoke.   
  
"My name is Karen... Karen Kasumi. And you are...?"   
  
Nataku looked at her silently. He hesitated and then looked into this  
Karen's eyes. There was something in them that made him realize that   
she was not a threat. "Nataku..."   
  
***  
  
"Nataku..." Karen murmured, her eyes flickered slightly at the meaning  
behind the name but then she smiled again, "It's nice to put a name to  
the face."   
  
Her smile broadened as she watched Nataku's eyes widen and then he let  
his gaze fall to the ground out of embarassment. There was something  
about this young man that made her feel like she had a connection with  
him. Then a realization hit her.   
  
"Nataku..."  
  
The young man looked up. Unconsciously, he was stretching out the   
uncomfortable collar of his turtleneck. "...yes?"  
  
"Why are you here? If you're going to..." She couldn't bring herself  
to say it. If she asked, she most certainly did not want to hear  
the most probable answer.   
  
"...no..."   
  
Karen looked up. "You're not?"  
  
"It is what //Kamui// wishes."   
  
Karen's eyes widened and then flickered once more. That was almost as   
bad as the answer she was expecting. It was almost as if this boy   
would cha cha his way to Ricky Martin if the Dragons of Earth's Kamui  
had said so. The mere thought was enough to twist her stomach into   
several knots. It was certainly enough to leave her speechless. She   
coughed and snapped out of her queeziness.   
  
"That's good..." she said, relief showing on her face.   
  
"Why?"   
  
Karen looked at the younger Dragon curiously. "Excuse me?"   
  
"Why? Why am I not allowed to..." Nataku shifted uncomfortably,   
"...destroy the kekkais today?"   
  
Karen felt her heart squeeze a little. She swallowed hard and wondered   
to him aloud, "What did..." her jaw clenched a little, "//Kamui// tell   
you?"   
  
Nataku blushed a little and looked at the ground. "...that no one   
wished to die..."   
  
Karen gave him a half smile and quickly reached over to grasp Nataku's   
chin and lift up his head to face her.   
  
"He's right, you know."   
  
Confusion filled the young man's eyes and Karen laughed a little.   
"Here," she said,"If you really want to know...then you're going to have   
to follow me."   
  
With those words spoken, Karen jumped to a wall and basically, half   
ricocheted herself up the building with all her shopping bags and went   
to the spot where Nataku had originally sat.   
  
Nataku paused and watched her almost-fly up with his confused expression   
still on his face. A second later, he followed her.   
  
***  
  
Karen was sitting on the ledge waiting for him, when Nataku arrived at   
the bleak-looking rooftop. She sat there, elegantly with her legs   
dangling over the ledge, sort of swaying. Her bags were neatly placed   
behing the ledge save one small, decorated bag in her hands.   
  
She pointed over the edge and asked, "What do you see?"   
  
Nataku walked over and looked over. There was a slight pause before he   
answered, "Trees...lights...ribbons..."  
  
"And?" she urged, smiling a little.   
  
Nataku continued to make observations. "Strange cane-like   
structures...loud music..."   
  
Karen stiffled a laugh but her laughter couldn't be hidden in her eyes.   
"What else?" she asked.   
  
"And people."   
  
"Exactly," she said snapping her fingers and invoking a little spark   
above them, "I was wondering if you were ever going to get to it."   
  
Nataku looked at her expressionless. "...I don't get it..."   
  
"You see, Nataku-chan," she said, her smile growing a little larger   
after saying the '-chan' portion. "Look at these people, they're all so   
happy. Christmas is a time where you spend time with your family and   
friends and give presents."   
  
"...what does this have to do with..."   
  
"Nuh uh..." Karen interrupted teasingly, "If you interrupt now, you may   
never know..."   
  
"You see, over there?" She pointed to the left a little.  
  
Nataku saw a brown building.   
  
"Yes...what is it?"   
  
"It's a shelter" she replied simply, "For people who are less fortunate.   
The people who just drove up in a truck are handing out presents that   
were donated by other people who are...more fortunate."   
  
Nataku looked at the sight curiously.   
  
"You see..." Karen continued, "Christmas is one of the best times of the   
year, if not _the_ best. People...humanity, I mean, become this   
giant..." she paused to find the words, "Vessel of good will. People   
are giving, they're generous and to all, life almost seems wonderful.   
Humanity is at its best during Christmas, Nataku. That's why no one   
wishes to die today."   
  
Nataku watched the whole view silently. "I think...I see."   
  
Karen smiled and looked at her watch. "Well, I best be going. I've got   
to go meet some friends very soon or they'll be worried. Nataku..."   
  
Nataku moved his view from the streets to the red-head standing near   
him. "I don't know why I did it but for some reason, I knew I'd see you   
soon."   
  
She held the decorated bag to Nataku. "This is for you."   
  
Nataku let her place it in his hands and with a large gust of wind,   
Karen disappeared. Her shopping bags gone with her and her dark   
silhouette could be seen in the distance, leaping from rooftop to   
rooftop.   
  
Quickly, his gaze returned to the bag and he peered inside.   
  
***  
  
"So, Kazuki," Fuuma said, returning to the Dragons of Earths'   
headquarters, "How was your day?"   
  
Nataku looked up at his 'father' and responded, "Fine."   
  
"That's good," the dark Kamui replied non-chalantly.   
  
He threw his jacket on the chair and walked off to his bedroom chamber.   
"Well...it's been a long day and I think I will go to sleep early today.   
By the way...did you ever find out about Christmas?"   
  
//Kamui// stopped and leaned against the wall waiting for an answer.   
  
Nataku took some time to think about it. "I think so..."   
  
His 'father' laughed. "Good, good..."   
  
With that, Fuuma disappeared into his room.   
  
Nataku returned to his spot by the window and looked out into the city.   
"I think so," he repeated softly.   
  
His eyes were on the lights but his thoughts were elsewhere. To the   
dark and barren room that was designated as his. On the plane bed sat a   
small, soft, brown teddy bear. Around the teddy bears neck was a large   
purple and white bow. Nataku had not known what to do it but he   
surprised himself when he held the bear to himself and buried his face   
into the bear's soft fur. He had placed it on his bed and for some very   
odd reason, he had decided not to tell his 'father' about it surprising   
him further.   
  
Nataku watched as the last of the people headed home and the lights   
continue to dazzle and even brighten the sky. Before Karen disappeared,   
he could have sworn, she had said something to him.   
  
"Merry Christmas, Nataku."   
  
  
THE END.   
  
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heh heh... just a little sappy so...*cough* please don't hurt me.   
*lmao* Well, I guess that's it. See ya later. Maybe I can put   
something witty in here later. ...or not. ^^;;  
  
Completed: 04.19.01 


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